


Fight My Battles

by tabbytabbytabby



Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020), Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Crossover, Established Liam Dunbar/Theo Raeken, Family Feels, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, M/M, Protectiveness, Werewolf Reveal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2020-09-08
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:46:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26359681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tabbytabbytabby/pseuds/tabbytabbytabby
Summary: Owen's sure when his ex-wife Jenna calls him he's in for a lecture about keeping his cancer a secret. Instead, he finds out their son Liam has been visiting Austin for a few days, and hasn't been in touch. Worried, Jenna asks him to check in. He doesn't think there's much to worry about. What kind of trouble could Liam and his boyfriend Theo possibly get into? Then he finds their room trashed and finds himself dragged into a world of secrets he never knew about his son.
Relationships: Liam Dunbar/Theo Raeken
Comments: 12
Kudos: 49





	Fight My Battles

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Day 3 of Fandom AU Fest: Horror / Thriller. I had this idea in my head about Liam being TK's brother and Owen's son and just couldn't let it go. So here we are.

Owen sighs as his phone rings for the fifth time that afternoon, the ringtone all too familiar. He'd had an excuse the first few times he hadn't answered. They'd been on a call and then he'd wanted to wash up. 

Now he's just sitting in his office, nothing to occupy him but paperwork. He could easily take the call. But he doesn't. Not yet. 

"Is there any reason why you're avoiding Jenna's calls?" TK asks, leaning against the doorframe. 

"I'm not," Owen says, shuffling some of the papers on his desk. "I'm busy."

"You hate paperwork," TK reminds him. "You'd rather talk to mom than do paperwork."

"Jenna is still my ex wife."

It's a flimsy excuse, at best. Jenna's a saint. They both had just wanted different things, and they hadn't worked out. Their spilt had been amicable. He enjoys talking to her. Usually. 

He just hadn't told her about the cancer yet, and he has a feeling she found out. 

"This would be easier if you had let me tell Liam myself," Owen says. 

"He's your son too. He had a right to know," TK argues. 

"Yes I agree," Owen says. "I was going to tell him. Just in my own time."

The phone stops ringing, and for a moment Owen is relieved. Until it starts right back up again. 

"It seems important," TK says. "Maybe you should answer it."

Owen sighs and swipes on the green call button and brings the phone to his ear, an apology already on his tongue.

"I know I should have told you about the cancer and I'm sorry."

"This isn't about that Owen," Jenna says. "It's… look have you talked to Liam?"

"Not in a few days," Owen tells her. "Why?"

"Well as you know he's been traveling, and he's supposed to be in your area."

Owen sits up straighter, "Liam's in Austin?"

TK visibly straightens too, but doesn't say anything. Yet. 

"He is," Jenna says. "He was supposed to call and check in and he hasn't. I was hoping you could check in on him."

"Of course. When was he supposed to check in?"

"Two days ago," Jenna says. Owen can almost hear the worry in her voice. "Normally I would think he forgot to charge his phone. But I can't get a hold of him or Theo."

"Where's he staying?" Owen asks her, reaching for a pen and paper. "Do you know?"

"Of course," Jenna says. "I always get the motel and room numbers. So I know they got in but…"

"You know they could just be enjoying themselves," Owen says, trying to ease a little bit of her worry, even as his grows.

"Liam wouldn't be out of touch this long," Jenna says. "He'd at least text me he's okay. So can you…?"

"I'll check in," Owen assures her. "Where's he staying?"

Owen jots down the information and assures Jenna he'll update her on what he finds. He's not sure what to make of her quiet "be careful" before they hang up. 

Something tells him there's more going on here than she was letting on. 

"Is everything alright?" TK asks him. "Is Liam okay?"

"I'm sure he is," Owen says. "He's just been out of touch and Jenna wants me to check in. I'm going to run by his hotel after shift."

"I'll go with you," TK offers.

"Don't you have plans with Carlos?"

"He can come," TK shrugs. "If it's nothing, we'll still go on our date. If it's not, we'll at least have an officer with us."

"You make a good point," Owen tells him. "Let's just hope it's Liam wanting some time to himself with Theo. And all I'll have to do is give him a good lecture about making his mother worry."

* * *

Owen wishes his life was that easy. That he was able to walk into the hotel and knock on Liam and Theo’s door and find out they were too wrapped up in each other to notice anything else.

But of course, that’s not the case. Sure, the hotel itself seems innocent enough. A bunch of tourists, some older couples milling in the lobby, kids running off the elevator towards the pool. But then they get upstairs. Again, nothing stands out as out of the ordinary. Until they get to Liam and Theo’s room. The door’s shut, which isn’t strange. But the streak of blood and what looks like claw marks on the door are. 

“What the hell?” Owen mutters.

“We need to get in there,” TK says.

“Obviously.”

“I’ll go down to the front desk and see if I can get a key,” TK says. 

“We should probably call the police,” Owen says.

“No!” TK says. “Just umm… let’s not do that. We don’t know what’s going on and don’t want this to be a false alarm.”

“There’s blood, TK,” Owen says.

“Yeah well, kids are into kinky shit these days.”

Owen frowns, “Seriously?”

“Look, just see if you can get in touch with Liam and I will be right back.”

Owen nods. He pulls out his phone and dials Liam as TK walks back down the hall. Nothing. He hangs up and dials Theo’s phone, just in case. No answer there either.

“Come on, Liam,” Owen mutters. “Where the hell are you?”

He’s debating ignoring TK’s wishes and calling the cops. He just can’t shake the feeling that something is wrong with Liam, and if that’s true, they’re going to need help.

“Okay,” TK says, jogging up to him. “Got the key.”

“They just handed it over?”

TK grins, “Well yeah. I put on my best smile and told them I was wanting to surprise my brother with a visit. It worked like a charm.”

He uses the key to unlock the door and then pushes it open, careful to avoid the blood. Owen gasps when they step inside and he sees the state the room is in. If he thought the door was bad, this is a disaster. The furniture is turned over, the bed is shredded, and there’s blood everywhere. 

“We really need to call the cops,” Owen says.

“I don’t know,” TK says, hesitating.

“Seriously TK? Your brother’s hotel room is trashed and there’s blood everywhere, and you don’t want to call the cops.”

“I just think…”

He doesn’t finish his sentence. His eyes widen, focusing on something behind Owen. Before Owen can turn and look something hits him in the back of the head, hard, and he crumples to the floor. The last thing he sees before his eyes slip closed is TK struggling with a man, and then he’s met with blackness.

* * *

When Owen opens his eyes, he finds himself in a dark room. It’s cool and damp, made mostly of concrete. It looks to be an old warehouse of some kind. 

“I see you’re awake.”

Owen turns his head, wincing at the jolt of pain that shoots through him. “Who are you? And what are we doing here?”

“My name is Monroe,” the woman says. “As to why you’re here, well… let’s just say you were in the wrong place at the wrong time and now we get to use that to our benefit.”

“What are you talking about?” Owen asks. “And what were you doing in my son's hotel room?

“They’re hunters,” TK mutters.

What? Hunters? What are they hunting? 

“We put things right,” Monroe says. “Rid the world of monsters.”

“What does that have to do with my son?” Owen asks.

“Everything” Monroe says. “You see, your son has a secret, Captain Strand, and it's about time you learned about it."

"If this is about him being bi, I already know that."

She rolls her eyes, "Please. It's not about that."

"Then what is this?" Owen asks her.

She kneels down in front of him, an unpleasant smile on her lips. "Your son is a werewolf."

Owen can't help it. He laughs. Of all the things he'd been expecting her to say, that hadn't been it. 

"Laugh all you want, but it's the truth," she says. "Liam is a werewolf."

"I'm sorry, but you really expect me to believe that? Werewolves don't exist!"

"They do," Monroe says. Her eyes drift to his right, where TK is sitting. "From your other son's lack of surprise, I take it he knows."

Owen turns his head to look at TK. He's glaring daggers at Monroe, but she's right, he doesn't look surprised. "TK?"

"Tell your daddy what you, TK," she says. "Tell him what a monster your brother is."

"Liam isn't a monster," TK says, voice laced with anger. "You are."

Monroe tuts and lightly traces the tip of her knife across TK's cheek. Owen squirms against the ropes binding him. "Don't you dare hurt him!"

"No one's going to be hurt," Monroe says. She lowers the knife and steps back. "Not as long as Liam does as he's told." She grins down at him, the look making a chill creep up Owen's spine. "And if he loves you, he'll be exactly where I need him to be."

"What are you going to do to him?" 

"Oh I wouldn't worry about that," Monroe says. "Just be grateful you'll still have one son when this is all over."

She walks away, and TK screams, fighting against the ropes restraining him. The door closes with a loud, resounding slam. Owen hopes wherever Liam is, he's not going to be foolish enough to fall into her trap.

* * *

The room is dark, the only illumination coming from the streetlights outside. Liam paces the floor, feeling restless. He doesn’t like being cooped up like this, but they don’t really have a choice. After Monroe had ambushed him and Theo in their hotel room, Scott had told them to lay low until they got there. That had been almost 12 hours ago.

“They have to be here soon, right?” Liam asks.

“Should be,” Theo says from his place on the bed. “Liam I really think…”

“We can’t check our phones,” Liam says. “You know that. Stiles said that’s how Monroe probably found us before.”

“I know,” Theo says. “But don’t you think if she really wanted to find us, she would have by now?”

He has a point. Hidden away as they are, he knows Monroe has the resources to locate them. No matter how off the grid they are. “Besides,” Theo continues. “You know how worried Jenna has to be. She at least deserves a phone call to know we’re alive.”

Another good point. Not that Liam really wants to admit Theo makes good points. He sighs. “Fine. Turn it on. We’ll call her, and Scott to see where they are. But then we’re turning them right back off again.”

Theo nods and turns Liam’s phone on first. He taps a few buttons and frowns. “Hey Liam?”

“Yeah?”

“You have a few missed calls from your Dad,” Theo says, looking up at him. “And it looks like some voicemails.”

“Shit,” Liam mutters, grabbing the phone from Theo. “Mom probably called him when she couldn’t reach us.”

“Told you we should have called her.”

“Shut up.”

He calls his voicemail and brings his phone to his ear. The first few messages are from his mom asking him to call her back. Then there’s a few from his dad. The first one is like he expects. His dad telling him to call his mom since she’s worried. Then there’s another, telling him he’s going to swing by their hotel and check in. 

There’s nothing after that. Liam hangs up with shaking fingers and dials his dad's number. It rings three times before going to voicemail. He tries TK with the same result.

“Shit,” he mutters. “Shit shit shit!”

“Your dad went by the hotel?” Theo asks, no doubt hearing the message the same as Liam. 

“Yeah,” Liam says, running a hand through his hair. “And now him and my brother aren’t answering their phones.”

Theo curses, “Okay. We shouldn’t panic though It’s late. Maybe they just went to sleep.”

“Really?” Liam asks. “You think my worried father would go to sleep after going by our hotel room and finding a bloody and destroyed hotel room?”

“Yeah good point,” Theo sighs. “I was trying for reassuring, okay?”

“We have to go back there,” Liam tells him.

“Liam…”

“I know it’s not safe,” Liam says. “But this is my family. They’re innocent, and don’t deserve to be dragged into this. And if something happened to them because of me…”

“It wouldn't be your fault,” Theo tells him. “It’s all on Monroe. She’s a psycho bitch. What she does is no one else’s fault.”

“But I should have been there,” Liam whispers.

“If we had stayed we would both be dead, and then your dad and brother would be finding our dead bodies instead of a destroyed room.”

“I know,” Liam says. “But I still need to go check. You don’t have to come if you don’t want to.”

“Of course I’m coming,” Theo says. “It wouldn’t be the first time I followed you into a dangerous, most likely deadly, situation.”

“True,” Liam says, smiling in spite of himself. “But you know I have your back now.”

“Yeah I know,” Theo says, returning the smile. “And I have yours.”

Months ago Liam never would have believed it. But Theo’s more than proved himself in the years that Liam has known him, and Liam has come to trust him and depend on him. There’s no one he’d rather have by his side right now than Theo. And Theo knows that. Even if Liam isn’t always that great at saying it.

“Okay, let’s go.”

Liam is on edge the whole drive back to the hotel. Nothing seems out of place. There aren’t cop cars surrounding the place. No caution tape. It’s just normal. But that doesn’t mean nothing’s happened. Liam knows better than to let himself relax.

Him and Theo walk inside, their guard up, as if Monroe or one of her cronies could pop up at any second. Nothing happens in the lobby, nor in the elevator, or when they step out into the hall their room was on. They creep down the hall slowly, listening. Liam can’t hear anything. No sound of his dad or TK, or Monroe. The door to their room is ajar though, and Liam immediately smells it. Blood. And just his or Theo’s. But his Dad’s. Liam’s heart pounds as he pushes the door open, preparing for the worst.

But the room is empty. No one is here. 

“He was here,” Liam says. “I can smell it. And his blood. TK’s too.”

“Then where are they?” Theo asks.

“I don’t know,” Liam says. “But something happened here. There was a struggle.”

That much is obvious. It’s in a worse state than when Liam and Theo fled this morning. Which means one thing. 

“Monroe came back,” Liam says. “Or she left someone here. I don’t know. But someone was here or showed up after my dad and TK did.”

Theo walks further into the room, looking around. He stops by the bed and picks something up. A sheet of paper. “Liam…”

“What is it?” Liam asks, fear gripping at him as he walks towards him. 

Theo hands over the note and Liam’s eyes scan it. His blood runs cold at the words written there, not in ink, but in blood.

We have your dad and brother. If you want to see them alive, come to this address. We’ll make a trade. Your lives for theirs.

It’s not signed, but Liam doesn’t need a name to know who did this.

“That bitch,” Liam growls. His fists clench, the paper bunching in his hands. 

“We’re going to get them back, Liam,” Theo says, resting a hand on his shoulder. “We will.”

“How?” Liam asks. “You read what she said. She wants to trade our lives for theirs. And I might be willing to do that, but I can’t ask you to.”

“Liam,” Theo says. “You know I’d follow you anywhere by now.”

“And here I thought you wouldn’t die for me,” Liam says, mirroring Theo’s previous words. It feels like years ago since he’d said them. How far they’ve come since them.

“What can I say? I’m a changed man.”

“Yeah,” Liam says softly. “You are.” 

He leans up and kisses Theo softly, telling himself that it’s not going to be the last time. They’ve faced worse odds and came out on top. He has to believe they will again. They’re going to save his dad and brother, and make it out alive. 

“Call Scott,” Liam tells him. “See how close he is. Maybe we don’t have to do this alone.”

“Let’s hope not,” Theo says, dialing Scott’s number. “We’ve dealt with worse, but I’d rather have some back up.”

“Hey Scott,” Theo says. He hits the speaker button and holds it out between them. “You’re on speaker.”

“So are you,” Scott says.

“And I thought we told you no cell phones,” Stiles says.

“That doesn’t matter now,” Liam tells him. “Monroe has my dad and brother.”

“What?” Scott says. “How?”

“When we went off the grid I guess my mom called my dad and asked him to check on me. He went to the hotel and I don’t know what happened exactly, but they got him.”

“Shit,” Stiles mutters.

“Yeah. And that’s not all,” Liam says.

“Monroe left a note,” Theo says. “In Owen’s blood. She wants us to trade our lives for theirs.”

“Yeah well that’s not happening,” Stiles says.

“Aww you actually care if I die, Stiles?” Theo says.

“Not hardly,” Stiles says. “But I do care if Liam dies.”

“No one is dying,” Scott cuts in. “Look, we’re fifteen minues out, okay? So hang tight and we’ll figure out a plan.”

“That means don’t do anything stupid like running in without back up,” Stiles says.

“We won’t,” Liam assures them. “I’m going to do whatever it takes to get my dad and brother out of this safely.”

“We will,” Scott assures him. “I promise.”

“Just get here,” Liam says, ignoring the lump forming in his throat. “We’re at the hotel.”

“We’ll meet you there,” Scott says. “I want to look over the room.”

Liam’s not sure what he could possibly find that Liam and Theo didn’t, but he holds his tongue. He knows Scott is just trying to help. And an extra set of eyes never hurt anything. 

They hang up and Liam leans against the wall. Theo steps in front of him and takes Liam’s face in his hands. “It’s going to work out.”

Liam nods and leans his head on Theo’s, letting his presence ease some of his ever growing anxiety. It’s still there. It will be until he finds his dad and brother. But just being near Theo calms him in ways he can’t explain. It makes the situation a little more bearable.

* * *

“They should be here by now,” Monroe mutters.

“Maybe my son is just too smart to fall into your obvious trap,” Owen says.

“If he values your lives, he’ll be here,” Monroe says. “And I know that little beta by now. He cares about his family. He’s not going to let you die when he could stop it.”

Owen shrugs.

“He’s probably getting back up,” TK says, low enough that only Owen can hear him.

“Back up?” Owen whispers back. “Like the cops?”

“No,” TK says. “Like his pack. There’s no way he’s coming in here alone and putting us at risk if he can help it.”

 _Pack_. Owen’s still getting used to that. "And I thought the most dangerous thing one of my sons would do would be fighting fires."

“Yeah well, Liam always did like to one up me,” TK jokes.

And that’s true. There always was a bit of healthy competition between the two of them. “He could have stuck to lacrosse. That’s dangerous enough.”

“He still plays, Dad. He just… has another more wolfy part of his life.”

“Yeah where people apparently want him dead,” Owen mutters.

“Not everyone is all that accepting of people that are different from them,” TK says. “I guess Liam and I have that in common too.”

“Did you just compare you being gay to Liam being a werewolf?”

“A bi werewolf,” TK says. And yes. It is similar.”

“Uh huh.”

“I just hope you’re right about the back up,” Owen says. “I don’t like the thought of Liam coming in here alone.”

“He wouldn’t be alone,” TK says. “He’d have Theo.”

“That’s still only one more person.”

“From what I’ve heard they’re a pretty formidable force together,” TK tells him.

“Be that as it may, I’d still rather my son not storm into a hostile situation with only Theo as back up,” Owen says.

“It’s a good thing you don’t know what Liam has been up to,” TK says.

“Apparently,” Owen replies dryly. “At least for my blood pressure. I worry enough as it is.”

Owen has to wonder why Liam never told him though. Did he not think he would take it well? That he would hate him somehow? Looking across the room at Monroe and her crew Owen knows it wouldn’t be the first time he’s faced something like that. Still, he’s Liam’s father. He loves him. No matter what. 

Sure, the whole werewolf thing is a shock. Up until an hour ago he wasn’t even aware werewolves were actually real. So to hear that they not only are but his son is one did throw him. 

“How did you find out?” Owen asks. He knows TK and Liam are close, but he still wonders what made him choose to tell his brother but not him. 

“He didn’t tell me,” TK says. “If that’s what you’re thinking. I walked in on him when he was shifted. It was one of the most awkward moments of our lives. Not because of that, but because he wasn’t alone. So…”

“Ah,” Owen says. “I’ve had a few of those moments.”

“So yeah I got to see Theo on his knees in front of Liam while Liam was all wolfed out,” TK says. “So _that_ was fun. Well, not for Liam. Theo may have accidentally bit him and…”

“I don’t think I need to hear anymore,” Owen tells him. “That’s enough of a visual. One that I didn’t particularly need.”

“Yeah probably not one you wanted when we could be close to dying,” TK says.

“We’re not dying here,” Owen says, tone turning serious. “I’m not going to let that happen. You know that.”

“Dad, I know you’ll always do anything you can to protect me, but I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but we’re outnumbered, they have guns and we don’t, and we’re kind of tied up.”

“So you trust your brother to save us but not me?”

“Yeah no offense but he has super strength, claws, and fangs,” TK says. “And usable hands and legs.”

“That is a good point,” Owen sighs.

Attention in the room shifts suddenly, all eyes moving towards the door. “Well well,” Monroe says, getting to her feet. “I think we have company.”

The door opens and Liam steps in, followed by Theo. They’re alone. Owen’s heart drops.

“I thought you said they’d bring back up,” Owen mutters to TK. 

“I thought they would,” he whispers back. A little louder he says. “Where the hell is your back up.”

All Liam does is grin their way. “Hey Dad. Hey TK.”

“Son,” Owen says. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“Saving you,” Liam says. “Obviously.”

“You can let them go now,” Theo says. “You have what you want.”

“True,” Monroe says. “But I also made a promise.”

“What?” 

“I promised your dad that he would see you for the monster you are, Liam,” Monroe says. “And then the last thing you’ll see on his face before you die is horror and revulsion.”

“That’s not going to happen,” Owen says. “Liam, you know I love you no matter what, son.”

Owen groans when one of Monroe’s goons kicks him in the stomach. He bends over, coughing when he does it again.

“Stop!” Liam shouts. He tries to run forward but gets shoved back. 

“Oh no no,” Monroe says sweetly. “You don’t get some sweet heartfelt goodbye, Liam. Monsters like you don’t deserve that.”

“You’re the monster here,” TK tells her. “You are. You’re the one hurting people.”

“And you think his kind hasn’t?” Monroe seaths. “Do you even know anything about Theo, your son's precious boyfriend? He’s the definition of a monster. And yet, you’re okay with your son dating him. Which means your son has to be as much of a monster as he is.”

“That’s not true,” TK says.

“Theo has changed,” Liam says. “Yeah, he did bad things, but he’s more than made up for that. But you? You changed too. And not for the better Tamora. You kill people just for fun. Just because they’re different. So my brother is right, you are the monster. Not us.”

“If that’s what you have to tell yourself,” Monroe says. “Go ahead. But if it looks like a monster and talks like a monster, then it must be a monster.”

Owen can only watch as she steps closer, a wand of some sort in her hands. It shoots sparks off the end. “Liam!” Owent shouts. “Liam, just get out of here! Go!”

Owen expects Monroe to use the wand on Liam. But she doesn’t. She shoves the thing into Theo’s stomach and he cries out. Liam shouts and tries to go to him but he’s held back. He still fights though, swinging and clawing, trying to get to Theo. He almost makes it. But then one of the goons shocks Liam and he crumples to the floor.

“Stop!” TK shouts. “Stop hurting them!”

“Oh we’re going to do much more than hurt them,” Monroe says. “But first you have to see.”

And Owen does see. Liam raises his head, and there’s no mistaking what he is. His eyes are glowing gold and his face has shifted, fangs popping out of his mouth. He growls and lunges for Monroe. She’s not expecting it, too focused on hurting Theo to notice Liam lunging for her. The wand falls from her hand and skirts across the floor as Liam puts a hand at her throat and lifts her, slamming her into a wall.

“I told you,” Monroe gasps out. “I told you they’d see you for the monster you are.”

“Liam,” Theo says. “Liam you know you don’t want to hurt her.”

“Don’t I?” Liam asks. “She hurt you. She’s hurt so many other people. Killed them. And we just keep letting her do it.”

“There are other ways,” Theo says, getting to his feet unsteadily. Monroe’s people don’t move to stop him as he walks towards Liam. “Come on. Liam you’re better than this. Better than them.”

“No you’re not,” Monroe says. “You’re a monster. You know that deep down, Liam. You can’t escape that.”

“No!” Liam shouts. He drops his hand and steps back. Monroe collapses to the floor. “I’m not a monster.”

Monroe brings a hand to her throat and glares at Liam and Theo. “Kill them.”

And just like that, her men are raising their guns and aiming at Liam and Theo, who share a look. Owen’s not sure what it means. He can only watch as for the briefest moments, they smile and their hands touch, then they’re turning back towards the hunters. The hunters start firing and Liam and Theo duck down, charging at them. 

Owen instantly sees what TK had meant before. They fight well together. Moving almost in sync. Knowing what the other needs. It would be intriguing to watch if he wasn’t so terrified for them. Afraid that eventually they’re not going to be able to duck the bullets and one is going to pierce through their skin. 

He jumps when the doors bang open and people storm in. It distracts the hunters, but not Liam and Theo. They use the distraction to their advantage and knock the two closest hunters off their feet.

“Took you long enough,” Liam shouts over at one of the newcomers. Another werewolf from the looks of it. 

“Well _sorry_ ,” a young with a bat says. “You’re the ones that decided to run in here without backup.”

“I thought you were closer,” Liam says. 

“You know what he’s like when he’s worried,” Theo calls over to him.

“True enough,” the young man smiles.

“Let’s get you out of these,” a man says, drawing Owen’s attention away.

“Thanks Derek,” TK says. “Appreciate it. My hands are starting to cramp.”

The man, Derek, smiles and shakes his head. “I’m surprised you couldn;’t slip out of them.”

“Too tight,” TK says. “But believe me, I tried.”

“No doubt.”

“Oh Dad,” TK says. “This is Derek, by the man. And uhh the one with the bat is Stiles, Derek’s boyfriend.”

“Nice to meet you,” Owen says. He shakes out his wrists once they’re free. “And thanks for showing up when you did. I was getting a little worried there.”

“Of course,” Derek says. “But Liam and Theo are strong fighters. They can hold their own pretty well.”’

“Yeah but it never hurts to have back up,” Liam says. He’s standing behind Derek. His hands are clenched at his sides, his shoulders slumped, and he won’t meet Owen’s eyes.

Owen knows the look. He’s seen it on his sons before, but not often. Only when they’ve done something and they’re worried about how he’ll take it. It’s not a look he likes.

“Liam,” Owen says softly. He gets to his feet with the help of Derek and approaches his son, making sure not to go too quickly so he doesn’t spook him. When he’s close enough he reaches out, wrapping his arms around Liam and pulling him in for a hug. Liam hesitates for a moment, before relaxing into his hold. His arms come up, wrapping around Owen as he hugs him back tightly. 

“I love you so much,” he whispers into his ear. “So much, Liam.”

“I love you too Dad,” Liam says, voice breaking slightly around the words. “And I’m sorry if I…”

Owen pulls back, enough to see his son. “You have absolutely nothing to be sorry for.”

“Well I did almost get you killed,” Liam says.

“That was Monroe,” Theo says from somewhere nearby.

“Bitch,” Stiles mutters.

“Theo is right.” Owen tells him. “That wasn’t your fault. And you have _nothing_ to be sorry for. Do you hear me?”

“So you’re not mad at me?”

“Of course not.”

“Not even about the werewolf thing?” Liam asks. “Because you know I wanted to tell you. I just…”

“Didn’t know how I would take it?” Owen guesses. Liam nods. “I know. It was a bit of a shock. But actually a lot of things make sense now.”

“Like what?”

“Well your mom was always talking about how she had to clean blood off your clothes and carpet,” Owen says. “I was worried you were into some gang or something strange sexually.”

“Oh my god,” Liam whispers.

Theo laughs, “It’s not completely wrong.”

“Please shut up,” Liam hisses.

Owen smiles wryly, “I don’t want to know, do I?”

“Probably not.”

“Okay,” Owen says. “As I was saying, I love you. No matter what. You’re my son. Nothing is going to change that.”

Liam nods and hugs him again, burying his face in his neck. “I love you too.”

They pull back eventually, and Liam instantly finds himself being swept up in a hug by TK, who ruffles his hair and kisses his cheek. “Love you, kid.”

“You know I’m not a kid anymore,” Liam mumbles. 

“You’re younger than me so you’ll always be a kid,” TK tells him.

“Ugh.”

“So what happens with her?” Owen asks, nodding his head across the room. Monroe is standing with two men and a young woman. One of the men is older, and the other looks to be a little older than Liam.

“She’s going to where she can’t hurt anyone,” Derek tells him.

“Are you going to kill her?”

“It’s what she’d deserve,” Stiles says. “But no.”

“We don’t kill people,” the younger man that was with Monroe says, walking towards them. “That’s not what we do.”

Owen nods, “But she’ll be somewhere where she can’t hurt anyone again?”

“Yeah, we’re going to make sure of that,” he says. He holds out his hand. “I’m Scott, by the way. It’s nice to finally meet you. I’m sorry it’s not under better circumstances.”

“I’m just grateful you all showed up,” Owen tells him.

“We always come when our pack needs us,” Scott says.

Derek nods, “No matter how far apart we get.”

“I’m glad to know Liam has people he can rely on,” Owen says.

“Of course,” Scott says. “He’s a good kid.”

It’s strange hearing someone barely older than Liam calling him a kid, but he doesn’t question it. Something about his presence screams authority, but not in a threatening way. He’s a leader, but not one built from fear and hatred like Monroe. It’s easy to see people follow him because they like him. Because he’s good.

“Please tell me we’re going to find food after this,” Stiles says. “I’m starving.”

“You’re always hungry,” Derek says, smiling fondly at him.

“Fighting is a workout,” Stiles says. “You really telling me _you’re_ not hungry.”

“I could eat,” Theo says.

“Me too,” TK says. “There’s this great Mexican place by our house.”

“Before we eat, I think it might be a good idea to change and shower,” Owen says. “Unless you want to give the staff a heart attack walking in covered in blood.”

Liam looks down at himself, pulls at his shirt, and wrinkles his nose. “Good point.”

“You’re all welcome to shower at our place,” Owen tells them. 

“We wouldn’t want to intrude,” Derek says. “And there are a lot of us.”

“We can use the showers at our hotel,” Scott tells him. “It’ll be quicker and that way we won’t use all your hot water.”

“But then you’ll come right over?” Liam asks.

“Of course,” Scott says. “If you don’t feel like going out to eat, we can pick up the food on the way over.”

Owen’s a little relieved at that. Hungry as he is, he hadn’t felt up for going to a crowded restaurant. He just wants to be home with his sons and their friends. “That sounds perfect.”

“I’m going to call Carlos,” TK says, pulling out his phone.

“Oh _now_ you want to call the cops.”

“I’m not calling the cops,” TK says. “I’m calling my boyfriend. Who I need to meet my brother. And you know, we’ve been through something traumatic so…”

Owen gets it. He can tell how at ease Carlos puts TK. He nods. They’ll just have to be careful what they discuss around Carlos unless they want to give him the shock of his life tonight as well.

“We have everyone loaded up.” Owen turns his head to see the man that had been with Scott before joining them. “We’re going to drive them to the safe location.”

“That’s all we get?” Stiles asks.

“That’s all you need to know,” the man says. “The less people that know, the less likely it is that word will spread about it.”

“You think we’ll blab?”

“I think that things just have a way of getting out,” he says. He gives the kids all a long look before turning away and heading towards the door.

“Thanks Chris!” Scott calls after him. The man, Chris, raises his hand in acknowledgement.

“Well now that that’s taken care of,” Theo says. “Let’s go get cleaned up so we can eat.”

“You’re riding with us,” Liam says. “Since you know, your car is still at the hotel. We can get it tomorrow.”

Owen doesn’t argue. The last thing he’s worried about right now is his car. The drive home is quiet, save for the quiet music Theo put on. They don’t speak, but Owen can tell they’re communicating in other ways. With each glance towards the other, the way Theo drops a hand from the wheel and Liam instantly reaches for it. They’re good together in more ways than fighting.

“You know I’m happy for you,” Owen says later, once they’re cleaned up. The others are out in the backyard talking passing their food around, while Owen and Liam gather napkins and drinks.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Owen says. “I can tell how happy Theo makes you. I’m glad you found him.”

“Thanks Dad,” Liam says, smiling over at him.

“I know Monroe says he did some bad things,” Owen says. “And I don’t need to know. All that matters to me is that he cares about you and treats you right.

“He does,” Liam assures him. “I really love him Dad. And he loves me.”

“Good,” Owen smiles. “Now, one more thing.”

“What’s that?”

“You’re going to call your mother,” Owen tells him. “And I won’t hear any arguments about that. She’s been worried about you.”

“I know,” Liam says. “I’ll call her after we eat.” When Owen raises an eyebrow, he sighs. “I promise!”

Owen points a finger at him, “You better.”

They walk out back, passing around the napkins and drinks, before taking their seats. Owen sits in between his sons, with both Carlos and Theo on each of their sides. The rest of the pack is scattered around them. Some of them whose names Owen doesn’t know yet. But he will. There’s a lot he still doesn’t know about Liam’s life, but he knows it’ll all come out eventually. Until then, he can wait. Just content to have his family by his side, safe and happy.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Kudos/comments make my day 💜  
> You can find me [here on tumblr](http://tabbytabbytabby.tumblr.com/)


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